St. Cloud State University has created, implemented and researched a new approach to student teaching utilizing a co-teaching model. This innovative work was originally undertaken through a U.S. Department of Education Teacher Quality Enhancement Partnership Grant for $5 Million awarded in 2003.

What is co-teaching?

Co-teaching is defined as two teachers working together with groups of students and sharing the planning, organization, delivery and assessment of instruction and physical space.

What co-teaching is NOT

Simply dividing the tasks and responsibilities among two people.

For example, co-teaching is NOT:

One person teaching one subject followed by another who teaches a different subject

One person teaching one subject while another person prepares instructional materials at the Xerox machine or corrects student papers in the teachers’ lounge

One person teaching while the other sits and watches

When one person’s ideas prevail regarding what will be taught and how it will be taught